Regarding FWD traction:

Craig wrote:"Front wheel drive: While you can make a "handling is better with RWD" argument, the reality is that 98.2% of drivers are willing to trade off limit-handling for the many packaging and traction benefits of FWD

Dan Replied: "I'm a "1.8%" guy! FWD is a poor choice for "traction benefit" IMHO. Just watch FWD vehicles try to get around on hills in snow or even slick rain."

Craig replies: You mean the FWD vehicles getting around the Front-engine/RWD vehicles fishtailing or just plain stuck and in their way?

Craig N. Coeur d'Alene ID.
66 Black Monza 4dr, 4.2L V8 49k
61 Seamist Jade Rampside 140 PG
65 Canadian Monza 4dr 110/PG 40k
66 Sprint Corsa convt - First car! Re-purchased 43 years later
2+2 gnatsuM 5691

+17 Tons of parts

Since we have progressed straight into post Corvair topics, I have a couple of gripes about the more recent march of “progress.”

1)”Infotainment” screens. I guess these are a natural progression for damaged people raised on electronic tablets and gaming. The screens are useful as displays for backup cameras. But to rely upon paging through distracting onscreen menus to adjust the AC or sound is madness. Might as well put a penny arcade in the front seat.

2)The almost total disappearance of interesting, quality US produced sedans, coupes and convertibles in a relentless tide of cookie cutter SUVs. My last pleasant test drive in a new GM sedan came five years ago. The car (Buick) was actually a rebadged German built Opel!

Gil
Springfield, Missouri



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/14/2023 10:55PM by Sportsedan.

A FWD Chysler V6 is hardly a good example of a good serpentine drive or anything else in the design & engineering department.
The one on my '95 G30 van is great and the one on my International 4900 is even better. When I had to replace the water pump on the side of the road dealing with the belt was less than 2 minutes of the job. Great water pump design also. Nothing but the belt and pully had to come off to replace it. With proper tools and experience the water pump job is probably 15 minutes.

Joel
Northlake, TX
5 Ultravans, 145 Corvairs and counting...

Sportsedan Wrote:
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> Since we have progressed straight into post Corvair topics, I have a couple of gripes about the more recent march of “progress.”
>
> 1)”Infotainment” screens. I guess these are a natural progression for damaged people raised on electronic tablets and gaming. The screens are useful as displays for backup cameras. But to rely upon paging through distracting onscreen menus to adjust the AC or sound is madness. Might as well put a penny arcade in the front seat.
>
> 2)The almost total disappearance of interesting, quality US produced sedans, coupes and convertibles in a relentless tide of cookie cutter SUVs. My last pleasant test drive in a new GM sedan came five years ago. The car (Buick) was actually a rebadged German built Opel!

---

1) Agree completely with you Gil concerning the distracting display screens in most cars and trucks. As a matter of fact, I got rid of a brand-new Subaru Legacy that I bought for the very reasons you mentioned: the inability to change stations/volume/Sirius/FM on the radio AND more importantly, the inability to adjust the heat/defrost/AC/blower speed controls.

It is just poor design to rely on touch-screen controls which require visual analysis. Mechanical controls can be adjusted without removing your eyes from the road. And many people want to eliminate hand-held cell phones?


2) Sorry, I'll stick with my SUV-style Forester. It is tall enough that I don't bump my head getting in the car.
I do wish for a decent, practical convertible though, unlike the Buick Cascada which had no trunk room.

Kevin
Medina, OH

flamingchariots Wrote:
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>
> -------------------------------------------------------
> >

>
>
> 1) Agree completely with you Gil concerning the distracting display screens in most cars and trucks. As a matter of fact, I got rid of a brand-new Subaru Legacy that I bought for the very reasons you mentioned: the inability to change stations/volume/Sirius/FM on the radio AND more importantly, the inability to adjust the heat/defrost/AC/blower speed controls.
>
> It is just poor design to rely on touch-screen controls which require visual analysis. Mechanical controls can be adjusted without removing your eyes from the road. And many people want to eliminate hand-held cell phones?
>
>
> 2) Sorry, I'll stick with my SUV-style Forester. It is tall enough that I don't bump my head getting in the car.
> I do wish for a decent, practical convertible though, unlike the Buick Cascada which had no trunk room.

I won’t disagree about the Subaru Forester. (My wife wouldn’t let me, she loves hers.) Great visibility. They perform so capably in snow that the CHP would wave us through without a second look at the tire chain check points when we lived in exile in the CA mountains a couple of years ago. And what’s not to love about a good boxer engine?

Gil
Springfield, Missouri